My First True Love
by Fire The Canon
Summary: Lyall Lupin is a romantic at heart, and will do anything to win his true love over. Anything...


_**Written for the Quidditch League (Round 10 - student/teacher relationship)**_

 _ **Written for the 335 Pairing Bonanza Challenge (LyallLycoris)**_

 _ **Written for the Prompt Relay Challenge (Tangible)**_

* * *

 **My First True Love**

Was it even tangible? Could it possibly be?

She looked at me as if she knew what I was feeling. I sat at the Ravenclaw table, a bowl of cereal in front of me, untouched. I wasn't hungry. Not for that, at least.

I chanced a look her way, but it was as if our eyes had never met. Hers were lost in Professor Crabbe beside her.

I looked away again. Ha! I was so stupid. I'd just imagined it. As if she'd consider a puny Ravenclaw such as myself.

I mean, a student.

She'd never go there.

…

Valentine's Day was a cloudy one. The roof of the Great Hall told me it had just started to rain. How perfect. She never went to Hogsmeade when it was raining.

I watched from the corner of my eye as a school owl landed in front of her. Attached to its leg was a large, red rose.

My heart clenched in my chest as I waited for a reaction – anything – that might tell me she appreciated it. Instead, her nose scrunched in disgust and she returned to her conversation with Professor Crabbe as if nothing had happened.

I left the Hall without eating breakfast.

…

Okay, so I was pretty convinced that she and Professor Crabbe were having something behind closed doors. They would only speak to each other at meal times, and then they would always leave together.

It really bugged me. It sucked, actually. When you were in love, you just wanted the person to love you back.

For some reason, it was never so simple. She probably thought that rose was from him.

Oh, but wait, she turned her nose up at it!

And maybe her eyes had then looked at me in… longing?

Hmm… perhaps. I would try again if I had the money, but perhaps it was time for further measures.

I was fairly certain her chambers were in the dungeons with the other Slytherin teachers.

I would go there tonight!

…

My palms were in a sweat as I drew nearer. I wasn't entirely sure where exactly she would be, but I supposed I could suss it out once I needed to.

There were thankfully no prefects about (they were scouring the fourth floor where I may or may not have requested that Peeves cause a disruption).

It was cold down there. I was shivering. But wait, it was summer. I think I was nervous.

I turned a corner, and there I was! Her name was on a plaque on the door.

It was rather late, though. What if she was in bed? What if Professor Crabbe was also – no! No, I was not going to think about that.

Finding whatever courage I had in me I knocked on the door and waited. When no one answered, I knocked again, shuffling from foot to foot in my eagerness (or nervousness).

Again there was nothing, meaning she was probably somewhere else (with Professor Crabbe?)

Oh well, I was there now. I laid the bunch of flowers I had carefully conjured in front of the door and then made my way back to the Ravenclaw tower. I'd know tomorrow, at least, if she received them.

…

Was it just me, or did she have a spring in her step at breakfast the next day? I hadn't much seen her smile, but there was a hint of one that morning.

It was pleasing to see. She knew I existed, at least.

…

"… we got there, and there were flowers at the door."

I stopped as I heard her sweet, sweet voice around the corner. Chancing a peek, I saw that she was in a deep conversation with Professor Dumbledore – the Transfiguration teacher. He wasn't smiling as she told the story.

"Hm," he began, "and you suspect it to be the young Lupin boy?"

"I believe so, Professor."

"It seems very uncharacteristic of him," Dumbledore mused.

"I see the way he looks at me, and he –"

I hurried away quickly before they spotted me.

Ah, so she definitely knew it was me and she was telling everyone about it!

It was now time to make my final move.

…

I made sure she was definitely in her quarters this time. I had followed her every move for the last week and I knew that on a Tuesday evening she retired early to mark homework.

I had conjured a charming bunch of flowers that even an ex-Slytherin could not resist. With my hair combed over I didn't even hesitate before knocking on the door. From the other side I heard the drop of a quill, and I could sense the hesitation before, "Wh-who is it?"

"Your true love, Madam."

There was even more hesitation, and then she shouted, "Go away!"

"Madam, I know you know who I am! I know you got the flowers. You were telling Professor Dumbledore about it just yesterday. Just because I'm a student doesn't mean it can stop. I finish here soon. After that we can –"

The door swung open, and I had to say, she looked adorable in her nightgown and wand-light, which was illuminating her face.

"Boy, I am not interested in you!" she snapped.

"Madam, you don't have to –"

"No, you listen to me!" She jabbed a finger into my chest. "What you're doing is harassment, and I do not appreciate it. You've been following me around like my shadow, and apart from it being highly inappropriate, it is also downright annoying. Regardless of your fantasies, I will not fulfil them. I am here for one job, and one job only. Besides, next year, I'll be some place else."

I stared wide-eyed at her as her chest heaved up and down. It wasn't exactly the response I had expected from her, but, well… "I'm sorry, Madam." It was all I could manage. I handed her the flowers – which she gracefully accepted – and turned to walk away.

I was hoping she would feel guilty – or realise her true feelings – upon seeing my depressed state, but as I turned to look back I saw that her door was already closed.

It definitely hadn't turned out how I had expected, but that was okay. Not many ended up with their first love, anyway. It was just a small setback in minding my Mrs Right.

I continued on down the corridor, making my way back to the Ravenclaw tower. I hummed a tune of some sort as I did, thinking about my next move.

Well, that Hannah Bailey was quite the looker. Perhaps I would talk to her tomorrow. I saw the way she would watch me over the cauldrons in Potions.

* * *

 _ **I didn't intend for this to be humorous, but I'm actually rather pleased with how it came out. And I know Lycoris is not mentioned as a teacher at Hogwarts, but there's nothing to say she**_ **isn't** _ **either (especially in Lyall Lupin's school days).  
**_

 _ **Please leave a review to let my know what you thought!**_


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